The 25-year-old behemoth from Germany filled in nicely for Matt Light, who injured his knee during the 20-17 loss in Denver. Head coach Bill Belichick sent in the 6-foot-8, 315-pounder to protect Tom Brady's million-dollar blindside and the rookie responded well.
Well enough to go unnoticed that is.
"[He’s] an athletic kid [with] a real big frame, tall, long arms, strong. And he’s done a good job for us on both the left side and the right side," Belichick said Tuesday afternoon via conference call. "If Vollmer has to play, he’s shown that he can play both sides."
Vollmer was added to the Pats this April when he was plucked in the second round (58th overall) of the 2009 NFL draft. Although he didn't even begin playing football until he was 14-years-old, Vollmer has an impressive gridiron resume despite growing up in Germany.
After just a few years of football under his belt as a teenager, Vollmer eventually crossed the pond to join the University of Houston's front line where he appeared in eight games as a freshman after redshirting his first season.
After missing his sophomore season with a back injury, he started the remaining 25 games of his collegiate career, helping that wacky yet effective Cougars' spread offense compile 500 yards and 34 points per game his junior year. In his All-conference USA senior year at Houston, the Cougars' offense was ranked No. 1 in total yards per game with 575.1. Clearly, this rookie has the tools to go with the body.
"For a rookie he has shown a lot of positive things and has gone up against our guys in practice and in the preseason games," Belichick added. "As far as being tough, being smart and playing with pretty good technique, he’s still got a lot to learn and has a long way to go. But — for his background and all — he is a pretty accomplished player at his position for a rookie. Again, still has a long way to go, but considering everything, he is probably a lot further along than maybe what we thought he would be when he first got here. He’s worked hard and he’s continued to improve. He’s definitely headed in the right direction."
